Conference “Progressive Politics in Fragmented Times”

On July 6 and 7, Das Progressive Zentrum participated in the conference “Progressive Politics in Fragmented Times” in Oxford, UK, hosted by the Policy Network, theFoundation for European Progressive Studies FEPS and Renner-Institut. Together with participants from all across Europe, we engaged in discussions about new impulses for contemporary centre-left politics. The debate focussed on Labour’s future in Great Britain, an update for oldfashioned left-right narratives and the search for innovative ideas for party democracy, matching our project efforts in reforming German party organisations as well as the research on right-wing populism together with the Institut für Europäische Politik (IEP).

We were especially delighted to exchange our views with Katherine Marçal (columnist for Aftonbladet and member of our Circle of Friends), Tim Bale (professor of politics, Queen Mary University of London) and Liam Byrne (Labour MP and former chief secretary to the UK Treasury).

Lucy Rigby (Labour parliamentary candidate in the 2015 UK election), Sarah Sackman (Labour parliamentary candidate in the 2015 UK election) and Miranda Green (commentator and contributing editor, Newsweek Europe) provided fresh insights into contemporary challenges to UK politics after the general elections this year whereas Kristian Weise (director of the Danish thinktank Cevea) analysed the state of progressive politics in the North and the challenges it faces in the light of a strong right-wing populist movement.